‘This is Lara. She’s an English mastiff. You get to know her while I get your bags out of the back.’

Thea cuddled the dog as best she could. ‘Are the puppies English mastiffs too?’

‘I doubt it. We’ve no idea what the puppies are going to be until we see them. Probably half-collie, although there was something that got in through the cat flap. Come on, let’s get you inside.’

The front door opened straight into the sitting room, which was wide and high, with a curved ceiling like a boathouse. There was a fireplace in which a turf fire smouldered in a welcoming manner, and bits of boat and fishing tackle hung on hooks high up, out of the way. There was no wall between the kitchen and the main room, so it had a feeling of space and light. There were windows on three sides.

‘Now,’ said Rory, when Thea had stared about her, taking in the pictures, the charts pinned on the wall, and the glass fishing floats and bits of driftwood which were scattered about. ‘Would you like a cup of tea or a glass of whiskey, or both? I recommend both.’

Thea laughed. ‘Both sounds greedy, but lovely.’

‘You stay by the fire while I get that, then I’ll give you the grand tour.’ She looked about her. The grand tour wouldn’t take very long, she decided. The kitchen she could already see, with its huge picture window facing towards the islands and, beyond them, distant mountains. There were three other doors off the main room and she hoped one of them concealed a bathroom.

‘Sit down, take off your coat if you feel warm enough.’

She sat on a saggy old sofa, which was so soft that she seemed to sink to Australia in it. It was also covered with dog hairs and was obviously where the dog slept. Sofa and dog did look as if they were related. Thea wondered idly if the puppies would come out half-puppy, half-cuddly toy, with bits of stuffing emerging from them, an endearing combination of baby dog and worn-out upholstery.

After regarding her balefully for a few moments, with more than a hint of reproach, Lara sighed hugely, and heaved herself up beside Thea, squashing herself into the space that remained. She put her head on Thea’s lap, an extremely heavy hint that if Thea sat on her sofa she would have to take the consequences.

Thea quite enjoyed the physical contact. The weight was tremendous, but it was a pleasant feeling, warm, almost comfortable and it made it quite impossible for her to offer to help with the tea.